>>|> |> I plan to vote libertarian in the upcoming election (due to the clear
>>|> |> lack of any acceptable alternative), but I find myself wrestling with
>>|> |> some of what I perceive, perhaps erroneously, to be `good things' for
>>|> |> society that the Libertarians appear to be against.
>>|> |> The first that is obvious to me is government subsidized mass transit.
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>>|> | That's probably the biggest sticking point. Why waste money on
>>|> |inefficient operators?
>Mass transit was essentially, and in some cases completely, a profit-making
>and tax-paying activity before WWII. It might very well have run into some
>problems earlier if not for the Depression.
>>|> But isn't it also true that mass transit's main competitor, private
>>|> cars, is also heavily subsidized (roads, traffic cops, paramedics to
>>|> clean up after accidents, externalities like pollution)? Fair
>>|> competition would require that the subsidies for both mass transit
>>|> and private cars be removed.
>The roads were needed before private cars, and would be needed if they
>were banned. I suspect that we would need well over half the paved streets
>and roads. Without private cars, we would need more delivery vehicles.
>And a major problem would arise; can we expect to have someone home all
>the time so that deliveries can be accepted?
>There is a major externality not considered by the advocates of public
>transportation; waiting time, and slow travel time, to take into account
>stops for numerous travelers. Add this cost into the externalities, and
>it is likely to be the largest. Rapid transit systems were not all that
>common, except in high density areas.
I agree with much of what you say. However, one must consider that these
factors are different for different people. I suspect the mass use of
private transportation is more habit and laziness for the average person
than an economic issue.
As an example, I often walked home when it took twenty minutes. It saved
a $3 cab fare and I didn't earn $9 per hour. Also taking a bus for 50cents
and a one hour ride was economical if cab fare would have been $10 and I
didn't make $10 an hour. For people who make more money, private transportation makes more economic sense but hardly for teenagers who don't even make the
minimum wage.
One can also adjust and live where there is mass transportation convenient to
